Combination cleat and bumper

ABSTRACT

A combination bumper and tie-up cleat for use on boats and other water vehicles including a bracket means adapted to be secured to a surface portion of a boat in a predetermined location. The bracket means includes a first opening for slidably mounting a bumper element, with the bumper element including a caster roller bumper means located on an outwardly extending end thereof. A pair of adjustable locking screw means is provided for adjustment within complementary openings on the bracket means for securing the bumper means in a selectively set position to space the caster roller at a selected distance outward from the side of the boat. The bracket means is detailed in design to readily receive a tie-up line for securing a boat in a docked position when the bumper means is removed. The locking screw means is detailed in design for maintaining the tie-up line in position on the bracket means.

United States Patent [191 Mace 1 1 Jan. 9, 1973 [54] COMBINATION CLEAT AND BUMPER [57] ABSTRACT lnvemofi Irving Mace, 1221 l Terrace, A combination bumper and tie-up cleat for use on AnnistomAla- 36201 boats and other water vehicles including a bracket [22] Filed: Jam 27, 1971 means adapted to be secured to a surface portion of a boat in a predetermined location. The bracket means PP N05 110,026 includes a first opening for slidably mounting a v bumper element, with the bumper element including a [52] U.S. Cl ..l14/220 caster r l er mper m n lo on an war y [51] Int. Cl. ..B63b 21/04 extending end thereof. A pair of adjustable locking [58] Field of Search ..114/218, 219, 220, 230 screw means is provided for adjustment within complementary openings on the bracket means for secur- [56] References Cited ing the bumper means in a selectively set position to space the caster roller at a selected distance outward UNITED STATES PATENTS from the side of the boat. The bracket means is 2,761,410 9/1956 Marr 1l4/220 detailed in design to readily receive a tie-up line for 3,507,243 4/1970 Brown ..1 14/218 ecuring a boat in a docked position when the bumper Primary Examiner--- Evon C. Blunk Assistant ExaminerJohnny D. Cherry Att0rneyNewton, Hopkins & Ormsby means is removed. The locking screw means is detailed in design for maintaining the tie-up line in position on the bracket means.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures go ase-asst PATENTEDJAN 9:913

INVENTOR. I RV I N6 MACE.

fir rum/era COMBINATION CLEAT AND BUMPER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a combination device which can be secured in selected predetermined locations on the bow and stem of a boat to be used in supporting a bumper element to prevent the side of the boat from becoming scraped and damaged when moving adjacent an upright structure and further adapted to receive a tie-up line for securing a boat in a docked position.

When a boat or other water vehicle is moving over the surface of water adjacent an upright structure, such as rough concrete walls of a waterway lock means, the sides of the boat scrape against the rough concrete walls. The turbulent action of water in waterway locks often causes a boat to sway and bump against the rough concrete walls of the lock causing considerable damage to the sides of a boat.

A number of devices have been devised for attachment at predetermined locations on a boat for preventing the side of a boat from becoming damaged when moving adjacent upright structures. However, most of the prior art boat bumper elements are complex in construction, uneconomical to manufacture and unreliable in operation.

Further, the prior art boat bumper devices can be used only, as a boat bumper means. Therefore, additional means must be attached to the side of the boat to facilitate the boat being docked with a tie-up line when desired. An excessive number of devices, certain ones of which are to be used as bumpers and certain other ones which are to be used as tie-up means, will distract from the appearance of the boat, will further present a problem of maintenance in the upkeep of the boat, and will create additional hardware to avoid in movement relative to the side of the boats.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A further object of this invention is to provide an effective tie-up means for use on a boat to facilitate the docking ofa boat when desired.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a combination bumper and tie-up cleat for use on a boat which is simple in construction and, use, economical to manufacture and reliable in operation.

The above stated objects and disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention which basically includes a support bracket having a base portion and upright leg means. The bracket is adapted to be secured at a predetermined location on the deck structure of a boat with the base portion in abutting relationship thereto and with the leg means extending upwardly therefrom. The bracket means serves as a combination bumper and tie-up cleat by providing a first opening extending therethrough at substantially right angles to a side surface portion of the boat, with the opening detailed for receiving a bumper bar having a caster wheel mountedon an outwardly extending end thereof. The bumper bar is adapted to be secured in an adjusted position relative to the side of the boat by adjustably securing a pair of locking screw means in complementary openings provided in a side of the bracket means with the screw means being detailed in location to clamp the bumper bar in a selectively set position. The locking screw means are detailed in design to serve as line holding means for holding a tie-up line in position on the upright leg of the bracket whenever the bumper means is removed therefrom and the bracket is to be used for docking a boat with a tie-up line.

These and other objects and advantages of the details of construction will become apparent upon reading the following description of the illustrative embodiment of the invention with reference to the attached drawings wherein like reference numerals have been used to designate'like parts throughout the several figures, and wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, the combination bumper and tie-up cleat is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and is shown mounted on the deck structure of a boat 30.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bumper and tie-up cleat 10 includes a base portion 11 which presents a substantially flat surface detailed for abutting engagement with an upper surface of the boat deck structure. Formed integrally with the base 11 and extending vertically therefrom is an upright leg member 12. Leg member 12 is formed on the base 11 at an intermediate portion thereof to provide oppositely extending portion which includes a number of openings extending therethrough for receiving conventional connecting means such as threaded screw members 13.

The upright leg member 12 is provided with a first opening 14 formed to extend through the leg whereby the axis of the opening will be substantially perpendicularto a side'portion of a boat when the bracket is secured in position thereon. Opening 14 is of substantially rectangular configuration and detailed for slidably receiving a complementary surface portion of an elongated bumper support rod 15. An outwardly extended end of the bumper support rod 15 is provided with a swivel mounting structure 16. The swivel mounting structure 16 includes a wheel 17 mounted for rotation in the swivel support means about an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bumper support rod. The swivel mounting structure 16 is of conventional construction and is shown herein to be in the form of a conventional caster wheel support structure. The swivel mounting structure 16 is mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bumper support rod 15. The above described swivel mounting 16 will allow the roller 17 to roll, when contacting an upright structure, in either a vertical or horizontal angular movement relative thereto.

As shown in H6. 1, the bumper support rod can be secured in a selectively set position within opening 14 by means of a pair of locking screw members 18. Each of the locking screw members 18 includes a shank portion having a first threaded end and a second opposite end which includes a pair of projecting elements 19. Elements 19 will facilitate the adjustment of the locking screw means 18 and will also serve to maintain a tie-up line in position on the upstanding leg 12, substantially as shown in FIG. 2. The locking screw means 18 are adjustably and threadably mounted with a pair of aligned openings formed in the bracket leg 12. The threaded openings 20 formed in the bracket leg' 12 for receiving the locking screws 18 are detailed in vertically spaced location to extend through the first opening 14 whereby the inward ends of the locking screw elements 18 will engage the surface portions of the bumper support rod 15 to securely clamp the bumper support rod in a selectively set position. The threaded ends of locking screw elements 18 are pointed to insure a positive locking engagement with the bumper rod 15.

As shown in FIG 2, the locking screw elements 18 are detailed in location relative to the bracket base 1] whereby a tie-up line 40 can be wrapped around the leg 12 between the bracket base 11 and locking screw means 18.

The bracket means 10, bumper support rod 15 and locking screw elements 18 of the present invention are constructed of conventional metal stock material.

However, certain types of synthetic material could be utilized which would provide the rigid characteristics for supporting the combination-bumper and tie-up cleat at a predetermined location relative to the side of a boat. The swivel element 16 of the illustrative embodiment takes the form of a caster wheel. However, still other types of conventional swivel elements could be utilized in place of the caster wheel means 16.

As shown in H6. 3, a number of the combination bumper and tie-up cleats have been secured to the deck structure of a boat, with one bracket secured in position adjacent each side of the bow and one bracket secured in position adjacent eachside of the stern. However, any number of the combination bumper and tie-up cleats could be used and could be secured on a boat at any number of predetermined locations.

OPERATION The combination bumper and tie-up cleat of the present invention is secured to the deck structure of a boat at selected predetermined locations by application of the connecting means 13 to the deck structure of the boat. With the combination bumper and tie-up cleat secured to the boat, the device can be used as a bumper element by inserting the bumper support rod 15 in opening 14 with the caster wheel means 16 extending outwardly from the side of the boat. The caster wheel 17 can be secured at a selectively set position relative to the side of the boat by adjusting the locking screw members 18 within the threaded openings 20 to securely clamp the bumper support rod 15 therein.

With the caster wheel 17 secured in a spaced relationship relative to the side of the boat, the boat can move adjacent upright wall structures, such as the concrete walls of a lock, whereby the roller will contact the concrete structure holding the boat spaced therefrom to prevent any damage to the side of the boat.

The combination bumper and tie-up cleat is useable as a tie-up cleat by removing the bumper support bar 15. The bumper support bar 15 is removed by adjusting the locking screw members 18 away from the locked position to allow the bumper support bar 15 to be slidably removed from the opening 14. After the bumper support bar 15 has been removed, the locking screw elements are again adjusted to a locked position within their complementary threaded openings. A tieup line 40 is secured in a conventional manner around the bracket leg portion 12, as shown in FIG. 2. The tieup line is secured on the leg 12 between the bracket base 11 and the extending locking screw elements 18. The locking screw elements 18 will maintain the tie-up line in position on the leg 12.

The bracket member 10 can be used again for a bumper support element by reinserting the bumper support rod 15 within the opening 14 and securing the rod in a selectively set position therein by the adjustable locking screw elements 18.

It now becomes apparent that the above described illustrative embodiment is capable of obtaining the above stated objects and advantages. It is obvious that those skilled in the art may make modifications in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention which is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A combination bumper and tie-up cleat for use on boats or other water vehicles comprising, in combination:

a. a bracket having a mounting base at its lower end adapted to be secured in a predetermined location on a boat and an upstanding portion extending from said base, said bracket including a first aperture extending through said upstanding portion along a first axis and a second aperture extending through said upstanding portion in angular relationship to said first axis with said second aperture extending through said first aperture so as to present an opening adjacent each side of said first aperture; v I

b. an elongated support'element movably mounted in said first aperture and including a bumper element located on the outboard extending end thereof for maintaining said boat in spaced relationship relative to upright structures to prevent the sides of the boat from becoming'scared or damaged; and

c. a pair of elongated locking members, one locking member being adjustably mounted in each of said openings on opposite sides of said first aperture wherein said elongated support element is secured in a selectively set position by adjusting each of said locking members in said openings to clamp said elongated support element therebetween, and wherein said pair of elongated locking members are spaced sufficiently above said bracket mounting base to define an area around which a tie-up described in claim 1 further characterized in that each of said locking members include an elongated shank portion having a first threaded end detailed for thread ing engagement with complementary threads formed in said bracket second aperture and wherein said shank means includes a second end having formed projection means for assisting in adjusting said locking members within said openings and for assisting in maintaining a tie-up line in position on said bracket. 

1. A combination bumper and tie-up cleat for use on boats or other water vehicles comprising, in combination: a. a bracket having a mounting base at its lower end adapted to be secured in a predetermined location on a boat and an upstanding portion extending from said base, said bracket including a first aperture extending through said upstanding portion along a first axis and a second aperture extending through said upstanding portion in angular relationship to said first axis with said second aperture extending through said first aperture so as to present an opening adjacent each side of said first aperture; b. an elongated support element movably mounted in said first aperture and including a bumper element located on the outboard extending end thereof for maintaining said boat in spaced relationship relative to upright structures to prevent the sides of the boat from becoming scared or damaged; and c. a pair of elongated locking members, one locking member being adjustably mounted in each of said openings on opposite sides of said first aperture wherein said elongated support element is secured in a selectively set position by adjusting each of said locking members in said openings to clamp said elongated support element therebetween, and wherein said pair of elongated locking members are spaced sufficiently above said bracket mounting base to define an area around which a tie-up line can be secured in operative relationship thereon, so that said upstanding bracket portion and said locking members can be selectively used as a bumper or tie-up cleat.
 2. A combination bumper and tie-up cleat as described in claim 1 further characterized in that said bumper element includes a roller means.
 3. A combination bumper and tie-up cleat as described in claim 2 further characterized in that said bumper means is constructed as a caster wheel means.
 4. A combination bumper and tie-up cleat as described in claim 1 further characterized in that each of said locking members include an elongated shank portion having a first threaded end detailed for threading engagement with complementary threads formed in said bracket second aperture and wherein said shank means includes a second end having formed projection means for assisting in adjusting said locking members within said openings and for assisting in maintaining a tie-up line in position on said bracket. 